The smARTist Telesummit 2009

Nothing says studio gains to an artist like a floating pop up ad on a website capitalizing the letters ART found almost at random in copy. In this case the mind numbingly bad word play occurs in when an ad asks you to sign up for Ariana’s smARTips, but virtually any subject, in the hands of the Telesummit could have been transformed to fit their purposes: InARTiculate artists? chickenheARTed painter? AntiapARTheid in visual culture? (Okay, that one’s a stretch).

I bring this up because I was recently forwarded a facebook invitation to hear Facebook expert Mari Smith speak. A real woman of the people, Smith only has a fan page on the social networking site, but she’s still expert enough to advice artists how to harness the power of the web. We all missed her free event — apparently she spoke yesterday — but don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to pay for advice at the Telesummit conference January 15/16 & 19-23rd. After all, “Facebook has over 63 million active users, and that doubles every 6 months! Yikes! You can’t afford not to know how to use this powerful social media medium!”

Ariane, the host and smARTist organizer, will be grilling Mari on how to:

Build a community of loyal fans, supporters and collectors.
Attract coveted media attention
Build a Fan Page (which is different from your Profile)
And too much more to list here”¦
You can listen from your phone, OR on a webcast from your computer (Note: You’ll need a fast Internet connection and speakers for the webcast option.)

Yes, it will be recorded so you can listen even if you can’t come to the live call. But you have to sign up to have access to the recording.

Jim Gustafson
Director of Business Development
Artist Advocate Magazine.com

PS Here’s what a fellow artist has to say about the smARTist art-career conference material:
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I was so afraid of spending the money with the economy declining,
(I am my only support) but I did it and I am just so pleased. I am absolutely LOVING the smARTist Telesummit 2008 program.

I am getting so many ideas as I listen to the lessons in my car, and at home, until it all really sinks in. Thank you so much. It was money really well spent! —Cherie Grampp